A General Overview on the Significance of Nitrogen for Plant Nutrition

Dr. Steve Petrie, the Director of Agronomic Services at Yara International, joins Scott Warr to discuss the macronutrient, nitrogen! Steve explains in detail why nitrogen is so important for our crops, there are even different types of nitrogen that works better than others for our crop growth and yield, and he also explains what you need to be aware of when it comes to reducing your greenhouse gas emissions when using different types of nitrogen fertilizer.   Key Takeaways: [0:35] Why is Steve such a regular guest on the podcast? It’s because he knows everything!! [1:45] What is nitrogen and how is it manufactured? [4:45] How did farmers add nitrogen to crops back 100 or so years ago? [5:35] How has technology changed our nitrogen practices? [7:40] What are some of the major types of nitrogen available to farmers? [9:55] Steve explains why so many farmers use ammonia for growing corn. [13:50] Crops in general prefer nitrate nitrogen. Those types of fertilizers may cost a little bit more, but you will see a greater quality in yield. [17:25] What do farmers need to be aware of when it comes to sustainability and to reduce their greenhouse gas footprint? [19:40] How can farmers keep and maintain a good nitrogen management program in their irrigation systems? [20:35] Water is also a really important macronutrient! [21:45] Steve and Scott have only scratched the surface about nitrogen. Look forward to a part 2 on this topic soon! [22:10] How much nitrogen gets applied to agriculture in a typical year?   Mentioned in This Episode: Yara.com Steve on LinkedIn